A Fantasy finally Lived
I'd wanted to visit the west coast for a couple of years. Washington and Oregon looked so beautiful, another part of this sightly world to see.
Within three seconds of pulling out of her complex and onto the garbage pit Pleasant Grove calls a road, Whitney's car was painfuly deafening. I looked to her worried that something was wrong and hoping it would fade, but little did we know we were traveling this road trip in a sound trap. We couldn't help but burst into laughter at times at how loud it was just to sit there and drive, a week later still six hours from home I would want to rip my hair out.
We stopped in Idaho City at Albertson's so I could take a wiz and when we were getting back into the car to go to the Subway we'd seen earlier, we noticed a high speed leak flooding the parking lot from beneath Whitney's car. It had no color or smell so Whitney thought we shouldn't worry about it. That's when we looked up to see that Subway was next door to Albertson's and made a wiser choice not to drive in the opposite direction. ;)
The drive became beautiful after Utah and Idaho with the enormous river flowing through Oregon and of course, the abundance of green trees the Northwest is known for. We finally got to Portland at 9 pm, twelve hours after we'd left Paradise Bakery in my home city. Shilo Inn looked a bit old and dingy from the outside, but when we walked in Jason was the most sincere, helpful front-desk rep we could ask for. Luckily we walked in right behind another group checking in who asked if there was anywhere else to swim since this hotel didn't have a pool. To which Jason replied the Crowne Plaza across the street allows Shilo Inn guests to use their pool.
We went to our room, put our jewelry in the night stand, our clothing in the dresser drawers, and our cosmetics on the adorable vanity. We decided to go hop in the pool and then go get some food before we rested to see Portland the next day. Whitney "treaded water" for five minutes for a workout. I couldn't last more than 15 seconds.
Tuesday morning revealed to us that all of our shorts and summer attire may need a bit more covering for the cloudy conditions. We went to the Lloyd shopping mall just a couple blocks away and got the big sis some pants so she could be comfortable outside. Then we hopped on the MAX, which I must say is the most convenient, easy-to-understand and FREE public transit I've ever encountered. Every time we went to the city, we crossed a bridge and got to see the water and the unique city of Portland.
Once we got into town, which was maybe a couple minute ride, I couldn't help but notice how great the men out there were! Scruffy and articulate looking, just my type. And there were many! I get so excited when I see this type in Utah because it's so rare. Ahhh it was heaven. And later on, Whitney noticed there weren't really any cute girls out there. EVEN BETTER.
We got some coffee and headed to the art museum. The art museum itself wasn't that great and just took a lot of time, but we happened to be there while they had a car show/event going on with pre WWII cars that were immaculate in size and design. Afterward we grabbed some dinner downtown at a grill I can't place the name of in my head. But the building was so neat inside, with black and white design yet old red brick walls and so many different nooks within itself. My steak was mouth watering and Whitney's salmon was delicious.
After dinner we started walking around with the intent to shop and explore the city but little did we know, such rebellious fools, everything closed by six and seven!? It was very odd and annoying at first that such a large city would shut down so early. But I accepted it later with respect as I learned more about the city.
We went back to our hotel where we were happily greeted by Jason. When he asked how we were, Whitney threw back her head and arms and burst out, "exhausted!" to which Jason was greatly amused by with laughter. After recouping for a little bit, we decided to go ask Jason a little more about this mexican restaurant/bar he had mentioned was just up the street. He told us it was open till midnight and it was just a fifteen minute walk up Weidler St, which we called Wilber for the entirety of our stay. He then followed that with what seemed to be a warning of don't get too excited or expect too much, don't want ya to be mad at me- by telling us it gets "interesting" there.
TUESDAY NIGHT-LIFE
PARTY OF OUR TRIP
We put on our shoes and light cardigans already tired but liking the idea of a drink or two and dessert to wind down. When we got there it was very laid back, only a few people there and sports on the tv. Just what we wanted. The bartender looked just like an old friend I used to play with when I was 11-13 named Dallas. Turns out his name is Ryan. We started with chips n salsa and red bull and vodka. We sat and just talked with each other, winding down. Ryan told us we could request a song and Whitney asked for Willie Nelson. Ryan said it just wasn't the mood but then a guy across the room at the other side of the bar rooted for Willie as well, so on came the old country! We got Coronas with lime next and we were all singing along, the whole 4 of us plus the bartender, when 'whisky drowns and beer chases' came on. A cute, quiet, shy boy came in from the outside patio and sat down at the bar to drink a beer. He kept to himself but somehow burst out into Christina Aguilera's "you are beautiful!" at some point. To which we responded to as an opening to talk and hang out, but he left shortly after. I was bummed that he finally talked a little and took off. Whitney chased after him outside and said, "Hey my sister wants to know if you wanna have a few drinks with us?" he cheerfully accepted but mentioned, "but I'm a total mo." to which Whitney responded, "what's a mo?" and he let her know he was gay. Yeah that's totally fine she told him. The outburst of Aguilera made so much sense now. :) His name is Chris.
Chris is from Tennessee, he came and sat at our table and we started getting to know each other. And as I'm sure you assumed, Ryan kept bringing us more drinks! Chris told us how he's been with Mitch for 2 years who is an arrogant asshole and Chris doesn't really love anymore but hasn't had the courage to leave. We all migrated to the bar and became a foursome of fun. Ryan, Chris, Whitney and I just kept getting to know each other, shooting the shit and singing. We started to tell and ask them about the behavior we'd noticed in Portland. About how everyone is very mellow and laid back, and how early the town shut down. And that my friend, is when marijuana came into play.
According to a girl in the bar, everyone smokes weed. And a girl at one of the shops that was open for a just a minute longer, said people don't really work out here. Whitney acknowledged this by saying no one out here seems stressed. Bar girl continued with, this is where young people come to retire. Chris told me how you can get pulled over and have weed and paraphernalia and they'll just make you get rid of it and let you off. Weed seems to be a lot more accepted. And while to some, this may sound scummy, promote a lack of respect or even concern them as "illegal," because I've seen the outcome, I don't disapprove at all.
The feel there is so much more comfortable. No one's in a hurry, no one is unnecessarily angry… People are easy going, but also, very kind and open during interaction. But most importantly, the communication is REAL. In Utah, everything is so superficial. Appearances are so important. While in Portland that didn't seem to be a pressure at all. And people weren't FAKE nice. You either had a real encounter or none. At least that was my short experience.
And despite it being a large, popular city, it was clean and not seemingly bum ridden. Perhaps the city shutting down early is a contributor to this. It's like olden days, the shops are closed by seven and you go home or go have a drink. Strangely, I came to like it.
Anyway, Chris offered to go get his weed and come back so we could smoke. I was more than excited for that. He kept saying how he was out of weed but "had some hash." But it was quite possibly the "best hash he'd ever had." The way they talked about it, hash sounded like dank, burn-out weed, or stems. When he got back I was so happy he actually came back! I was ridden with doubt I'll admit. Probably due to my compulsive lying co-worker who always flakes and is impossible to get ahold of, often after promises of weed. Anyway,
Whitney doesn't smoke but came outside for a minute and Ryan said he was going to pass. We went out onto the patio which is actually just the street, and he lit his joint. We started smoking and a washed out, pale, mohawked girl walked past briskly heading into Aztec, having just taken a hit, Chris asked her if she smokes weed, she irritatedly and hurriedly replied, "I do but not right now." Chris, "oh, are you busy?" and she walked into the bar through the patio door. Whitney and I busted out laughing. What an asshole, but at the same time, where the fuck are you in a hurry to after three am when this place is usually closed at midnight? LOL
A bearded guy and short haired asian girl walked up to right where we were to get in their car and Chris offered his joint, right in the street to strangers, they accepted with a 'don't mind if I do' attitude. WTH?! and from the first hit he took, "I haven't had hash in a minute." My mind was BLOWING. I exclaimed with my head toward the sky and my arms in the air, "this would NEVER HAPPEN in Utah!" We passed it around and I must have taken three more hits. Instantaneously I was losing control and focus and things were blurring and spinning. I could tell I shouldn't be standing. As they continued talking and the joint was gone, I headed inside acting disinterested.
As soon as I sat down on the barstool next to Whitney, talking to Ryan, I felt fine. But when I came in, I told Whitney, I have never smoked weed like that in my life. I didn't know what was happening to me. Ryan had finally done last call before we went to smoke and was starting to clean up. He started pulling out all the bar stools from the bar to clean the floor. So Whitney urged me up so he could pull mine out. As soon as I stood up I knew it was no good. I had my hands on the bar and my glass of water. I was losing all muscle control and my world was closing in black from all the outside corners. I knew I couldn't stand. And just like that I had no control and I was at the mercy of gravity. I DROPPED to the floor.
I heard the ice and water spill, the glass fall, the bar stool slide and the bang and pressure of my body hitting the hard wood floor. My heel, my head. Whitney stooped down and asked me if I was okay, if I was hurt. I was fine but it was just best if I stayed sitting. I couldn't believe I'd fallen over. I had drunken' a bit but I never get out of control like that and I had been completely fine, until I smoked that weed. Whitney kept asking Ryan, what's in that weed? It's not like she hasn't smoked before. She smokes. And he replied yeah but not out here. I felt so stupid for falling and finally Whitney got me to stand back up. AS soon as I was on my feet at the bar I knew it was all over again. I DROPPED AGAIN. When I was sitting on the floor I was absolutely fine. But I just didn't have the muscle control to stand so soon after smoking something I had never known existed. Once again, another iced water spilled all over the floor Ryan had been cleaning and I hurt my foot even worse and really slammed the back of my head. When Whitney kept asking me if I was okay, I knew I was but I just kept asking myself- am I so fucked up that this could be worse than I realize? could something be broken? but I knew I'd be fine. I finally turned to Whitney and asked her how drunk she was? Could she walk us home? I was worried because I had never felt so out of control. She told me she was fine to walk us despite how drunk she was. When I got up again, Ryan had brought over a shorter chair for me and when I sat down I was looking up at the barstools. Lol, thanks Ryan. :) I stood up and had regained control. I was okay again, the initial overdose had worn off. and I started getting excited and just asking Ryan, HOW did it happen? Because I was standing here and then… I asked was I starting to slide? was I leaning way to the side and letting my arm slip out from under me? HOW did I fall TWICE?? And he goes, "it's like…you were there, and then… you weren't." lol
We said our sorrys, thank yous and goodbyes. Gave Ryan a hug and headed out. Chris and the other two smokers were still out there and we started to say goodbye. I realized I HAD to have a picture with Chris! This is THE mother fucker that got me high on weed outside of Utah! or the guy that had me smoke that hash that made me fall twice! Plus our cute way of meeting and getting him to hang out on a Tuesday night while on vacation in Oregon was pretty sweet. Whitney started snapping pictures of the other Oregonians with the brightest flash you could imagine that was truly painful after smoking that weed and they were so confused and disinterested and I could not quit laughing. It was like she was on crack running in circles around us with that thing. Our bizarre ways of meeting and affecting people for one night is nothing short of extraordinary.
MOST TERRIFYING DREADFUL EXPERIENCE OF MY LIFE
On our walk home, Whitney and I were talking and walking the empty but semi-lit Wilber Street at 4 am. There was a man on the other side of the road that was hollering across the street at us but Whitney was in the middle of telling me something. He said, "Hey ladies can I ask ya for a favor?" I ignored it as a bum and Whitney kept chatting as we walked. He continued, "Hey ladies can I ask ya for a favor? Hey ladies can I ask ya for a favor?" He kept prodding, each time getting louder and louder, at least a total of five times. He then shouted, "Hey YOU FUCKING CUNTS, can ask you for a favor?" To which in my stoned, appalled, scared state of mind I turned my head in response. He looked right at me and said, "oh ya heard me that time didn't ya?" with a disgusting look in his eye and a nodding of his head, as if calling me it again to my face. Whitney said, we were talking I didn't hear you. I'm sorry, what did you want?" I was terrified having heard what he said to us and his look and angry tone. Whitney either obliviously or nonchalantly walked a little into the road toward him and he started walked across the road clear over to us. He changed his demeanor, but I didn't feel fooled, I felt he was dangerous. He told us his absurd story of his car breaking down and he's stuck. He's got a wife and kids and just needs $8 dollars to get his car fixed. It was gonna cost $98 and he had $90. "Now I'm sorry to come at you ladies like that but I'm tired. I've been getting turned down in this city all day."
Whitney combatted his every word with her usual witty, blunt way. Turning to me slightly, but mostly challenging him, she asked, "What time is it?" He responded it's about 3:45.
"what mechanic is open at three in the morning?"
…he's an on call guy..he's actually police-referred
MHMMM.
I watched for her to have his complete attention, she mostly did but he still was talking to both of us.
He was driven and despite her constantly calling him out, he kept fighting it and giving answers.
He had a nasty gashed scab on the left side of his forehead. He had a nasty persona.
What honest living man gets that gash in his head?
I knew he had been in a violent situation with someone at some point. I knew he was dangerous.
I started acting distracted and disinterested thumbing through my purse. I got my phone out and slowly started walking away.
push phone symbol
start dialing 801
shit no no
backspace backspace backspace
911
call
I'm walking further away trying to be far enough he can't hear me talking to police
I'm to stop light to look at street signs and know our location
male pre-recorded operator: if this is an emergency say "nine one one" after tone
tone
my quick low voice: NINE ONE ONE
guy and Whitney continue conversation 30 feet away
young-middle aged woman: 911 what is your emergency?
me hushed voice, rushed, panicked: hi i'm not from here i'm traveling i'm on 17th avenue and Weidler
my sister and I were walking and a scary man started asking for money
they're arguing in the street and he's really aggressive and keeps getting closer and closer
woman: are you next to your sister?
me: no I walked away so he couldn't hear me
woman: can you tell her to get away from him? I don't want her by him. can you yell for her to get away from him?
me: no I don't know what he'll do
woman: get her attention. can you ask her a question
I hesitated knowing time is the essence and NEEDING to get my sister away from him and us out of this situation
me: Whitney, Whitney! What time did we tell Amando we'd be back?
whitney looks over at me for a split second, I can see her eyes understanding what I'm doing and grasping my concern but a look of nonchalance or I've got this under control and she continues her discussion with the slime
operator and I are waiting
me: whitney!
Whitney starts to walk toward the sidewalk and has some closing words sideways and he starts to turn toward his car
operator: is she to you yet?
me: yeah they started walking away- she's right by me now he's almost back to his car
operator: okay, I'm going to let you go for now. stay away from him, take a different route, if he starts to bother you again call us
me: okay thank you so much
I hang up and put my phone in my bag and Whitney and I start walking, the man starts his car (thought it was broken down, no family) and begins to drive off, as he passes us he hollers out his window
you ladies watch out, I'll be lookin' out for ya
EWWWW I WANTED TO CALL 911 RIGHT BACK
it was a one-way street and every time a car was coming up behind us I was tight and clenched just crossing my fingers they'd pass and not be him
I started divulging everything I heard and felt about that guy and my 911 call to Whitney
Whitney hadn't heard a single word he'd said, she didn't know he called us fucking cunts.
She told me she straight up challenged everything he said, TRYING to give him a chance to make his story legit, and flat out told him, I don't believe you. Do you know how many times my mom's needed 8 dollars for drugs?
she saw through him and assumed he was just jonesing for drugs
which makes sense
but I felt he was a much bigger threat
I'd never felt so cornered and threatened in my life
I had never had to dial nine one one.
WEDNESDAY
ROSE GARDEN
The next day we knew of some things we wanted to do and we knew we had to get up early since the city closes so early. Unfortunately we'd unintentionally gotten trashed and been up till 4:30 am. But I still got Whitney to wake up before noon and we drove across a different bridge and into West Portland up a tree-filled winding hill with some homes to the Rose Garden. The Rose Garden may not sound grand but generic. But it was absolutely lovely. We literally stopped and smelled the roses as we figuratively were in life, I realized how much I truly love that smell and give all credit to the rose milk drink at Bombay House. Every time I smelled a rose I wanted to eat it! And that is when I decided not only do I want my apartment to smell like coffee, but I want to always have fresh roses as well. It was a beautiful vast land, that was also high up so you had a bigger view of the area. SO MANY ROSES. And not only that, but it was the clearest blue-skyed hour in Portland, or Oregon for that matter.
After we strolled through the garden, relaxed and enjoyed the pretty day for a couple of hours, we drove back to the hotel and changed to ride the MAX to downtown and eat at the City Grill which was on the 23rd floor of the USBancorp building. It seemed the most, familiar atmosphere I experienced while in Portland- it was a nice restaurant, middle aged men and women of respected careers that demand collars and ties dined there. The view of Portland was fantastic. We had again tried to shop around but didn't really have any luck, not to mention we were essentially zombies in heels from the stunt we'd pulled the night before.
When we got back to our hotel we were sure to tell Jason how seriously we had taken his Aztec recommendation. lol, the relationships you can build with strangers for just a few days, or even a couple hours, are so enjoyable, still so fresh and minty.
THURSDAY
Headed to the Coast
Thursday morning we got up and checked out not until right at noon. Little did I know, I was forgetting my dad's camera charger. We had to go back into the small checkout/lobby area and plug my laptop in while using their wifi to look up directions to our next hotel because the sound trap hid them from us. I was tired and trying to get my spirits up, out there it seemed no matter how much coffee I drank it didn't help. Although I knew what weather I was in for I thought the beauty and excitement would dominate it's effects. But I really do think that's what started to make us groggy. We like the sun. We like vitamin D.
The drive to Sea Side (where we booked close to Cannon Beach) was essentially through wine country, green farmland, tiny towns and forest. We stopped on the side of the road where there was an adorable little shop and nursery with a posted sign for fresh strawberries. The berries were so small and juicy. We got strawberries and blackberries. I also found this antique, copper tea pot with a wooden handle that she sold me for $5. "When I price things I just think what I would want to pay."
When we rolled into Seaside it was a little different than I'm sure both of us had pictured our "coastal trip" in our heads. It was an old small town, sort of in a backwards way like Heber for those of you from Utah. We were an hour or two early and they wouldn't let us check in, so we drove up the road right to the coast. It was sandy and grassy but also cold and windy. We walked out closer for a minute and took a look. It seemed everyone had a dog, and it didn't take long to figure why. A dog to run and play enhances a day on the beach.
We realized we needed to get jackets for our next four days on the Oregon coast. Right close to the bay was the SeaSide mall. Most disgusting annoyance of my life. First of all, we hated the feel and look of Seaside, and every sweat shirt, wind breaker and thermal had large print across the front Sea Side. Not only that, but one of the ass holes in the cheaper one of the two jacket shops blamed my sister and I for makeup he found on a white pullover and kept persisting that it doesn't come out. To which my take-no-shit-from-anyone sister replied, "do you want me to wash it for you?" After that I REALLY didn't wanna buy a fuckin' seaside jacket. But I knew I needed it. $14 bucks. peace out ass hole.
When we did check in, despite the awkward feel and look of the place, our room was nice as usual. A room bigger than my apartment I'm pretty sure with a king-sized bed, couch, tv, fridge and microwave, and best of all, a constant ringing that would usually just be in your ear but was actually in the hotel. For the entire stay.
We decided we'd spend most of our time in Cannon Beach and just sleep in Sea Side. ;) We took a ten minute drive and stopped at one of the first places to eat in Cannon Beach called Castaways, Restaurant and Tiki Bar. As soon as we walked in I loved it. It was an adorable bar and 11-table restaurant with a sweetheart for a waitress. I really wished we didn't have a ten minute drive to our hotel because I knew we'd have a blast drinking there. But eating mahi mahi and tuna was nice too. ;) I did try their rum punch which was tangy-delish.
Cannon Beach seemed to have more of an old town charm opposed to Sea Side's old town icky.
The next day was the day I'd been envisioning for a very long time, seeing Cannon Beach and skipping into the water that surrounds Haystack rock. With the cold wind, heavy gray skies and wet down pour, it was a little different of an experience than I anticipated. But I still did it. I still made it a reality, not just a place in my head. :) Whitney stayed in the car a lot. But bundled up, I became used to the weather like you become used to water that's cold at first.
There were surfers on Indian Beach and the sea birds would fly in a line, weaving up and down through the rocks and waves. How incredible to be out there, submerged in the pacific ocean with your board, and look to the side to see the birds flying above the water with you.
When we went to the View Point, I would watch the birds simply let the wind glide them away from the ocean. They'd fiercely fly back down toward it, and the islands of rocks, but when they came back up, they'd simply let the wind pick them up and fly sideways toward the land.
That night we decided to go get some snacks, food, and drinks and watch a movie in our hotel room. We kind of forgot and quickly fell asleep to tv. :)
The next day was our drive to our final destination: Newport. The drive was mainly down the coast, a 2 lane highway passing in and out of tiny, aged beach front towns. We found the Tillamook Factory/Visitor's Center along the way despite our Mapquest directions which actually tried to veer us away from that stop? It was a large factory with wine, cheese and ice cream for sample and sale. You could also take a look at the enormous factory producing insane amounts of cheese. Sticky bun ice cream and squeaky cheese curds surely hit the spot.
As we traveled down the coast at 55 miles per hour, the different beaches were so sweet to catch a glimpse of while the sun came out. When we drove into Newport and were taking our turns to get to our hotel, pulling up we discovered it was right on the beach, nothing behind it but ocean. It was in incredible surprise and just what we needed after Sea Side. Luckily each room faced the ocean so we didn't have to fight for it! When we walked into our room I was in awe. after the king size bed to the side, were two adorable polka dotted upholstered chairs with a table in-between. but most importantly, behind them was our draped-drawn window to the eternal sea. I could just sit there and stare for two days and that would be plenty euphoric for me. something about just looking at the ocean, seeing no other land because the earth starts to curve, made me content in everything.
We went to our hotel restaurant and got crab cakes where we relaxed at our dining table with the Ocean to our window side. Afterward, we strolled along the beach. Whitney and I parted and I could tell she was fully emerged in just being. Being there. I was so happy to see it. She was always in the water, just walking, looking, sometimes skipping and splashing. And my sister, for those of you who know her and her history, wrote in the sand with her pointed toe, "In the end I'll be okay."
We climbed back up to our hotel after a couple of hours. But the beauty of it all was, when we left the beach, there was no parting moment or need to say goodbye because, going to our room was simply a different way to lye with the ocean. With the window taking up our whole wall, all you could do was see and hear the Ocean with peace and gratitude.
We washed off and got into comfortable clothes. After eating at a Mexican restaurant up the street and getting lost for 40 minutes on the walk back, we left the windows open to the edge of the continent and laid down in our bed. <3
The next day when I awoke, although I had plans of completely submerging myself in the water of the world, I realized I could sit in my chair by the window all day and just be. And I did for a few hours. Just the air and the ocean. Sometimes my thoughts. And then I got the urge and energy to run down and jump in. Whitney was in the bed and wasn't interested at the moment.
I walked down the concrete flights of stairs to the sand and set all my things down. I walked to the shore and let the water hit me. I kept going further and further in, discovering the natural waves were all the entertainment any could ever need. Pffft, water parks. I found myself seeking the waves, further and further in. sometimes I would turn my back and surrender, letting the wave carry and push me. Sometimes I'd try to maneuver or jump it. And best was when I would stand my ground and we'd collide head on.
I sang some of my favorite songs while I lived in the water. I wrote Swallowed in the Sea in the sand, I found it appropriate.
I retreated back to the room and my sister and relaxed more, watched tv and viewed the ocean. We decided to go over to the piers and get some sushi. Along with an eel was a stank! Haha Whitney was glad all the bullshit was closed (it was Sunday).
That night we went and had some drinks and played pool in the hotel bar. When they were closing up we got some drinks to go and walked the beach in the night. There were a couple camp fires but we were mostly alone, tipsy and overcome by the ocean.
Tomorrow was goodbye and back to utah. But not easily. a 14 hour drive. which somehow turned into an 18 hour drive. It was pretty miserable. BUT we rediscovered sunlight and her car made the whole trip!! It just had to take a leak on the way there.
And we had done it. I had finally seen some of the Northwest, been to Oregon. I am so glad for that.
